Plant Sale: May 14, 2022      9:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon.        Shrewsbury Senior Center

Thank You for your support! Come back next year,  May 20, 2023 for pour next sale! Still want to help?

Visit our DONATE page to find out how.

SOIL TEST INSTRUCTIONS:  Soil testing will not be available at the May 14, 2022 Plant Sale

How to Take a Soil Sample for pH Testing

Taking a soil sample for pH testing is easy:

(1) Identify the area(s) of your property you want to test: Different areas may have different pH levels, e.g., lawn vs. flower bed vs. vegetable garden. To submit different areas for testing, collect separate samples. Within a given area, if there are sections that are sickly vs. healthy, they should also be sampled and labeled separately (e.g., sickly vs. healthy sections of lawn).

(2) Gather your supplies:

•   A spade, shovel, soil probe, or augur for digging your sample(s)
•   One small clean bucket for each area you plan to sample (e.g., one bucket for the lawn, a separate bucket for 
your flower bed)
•   One small plastic bag for each area to be sampled 
(3) Dig your soil sample(s):
•   Step A: Depending on how large the area is, dig 5-10 holes approx. 6-8” deep for gardens (4-6” deep for lawns; 8-10” deep for trees/ shrubs); remove a sample of the soil all the way down to the depth of the hole; in other words, collect soil from the top, the middle and the bottom of the hole.
•   Step B: Combine all soil samples from the same area in a clean bucket. Mix thoroughly and remove stones, sticks or other debris.
•   Step C: Let the soil dry out for a few days in the bucket.
•   Step D: Put approx. 1/2 cup of dry soil into a plastic bag. Mark the bag with your name and the area of your 
property where the sample was taken (e.g., lawn, rhododendron bed).
•   If you want to sample additional areas of your property, repeat Steps A-B-C-D above. 
(4) Bring your sample(s) to the Shrewsbury Garden Club Plant Sale pH Test table

 

Click on pictures to enlarge them.